UK plunged into constitutional crisis - 8 May 2015

5th February 2013

"Yesterday's General Election result has, as feared, brought the 'nightmare scenario' many commentators had prophesied following polls in the runup to the ballot."

"With only a handful of counts left to complete, Labour have 303 seats, Conservatives 262, Lib Dems 18 and others 12. Labour's overall majority would normally allow Ed Miliband to form the new government at Westminster."

"However, some 35 of Labour's MPs represent Scottish constituencies, and following the Yes vote in the 2014 Scottish referendum they will only take their seats at Westminster until March 2016, when Scotland becomes fully independent."

"Whether Scottish MPs should take any part in Westminster in this period is highly contentious, with Labour naturally saying that whilst Scotland is part of the UK it must be represented, and the Conservatives strongly disagreeing."

"Despite Labour's majority, David Cameron has yet to concede defeat, and is taking advice from civil servants and the office of the Queen."

"There have been protests outside Parliament, Downing Street and in various cities across the south of the country from people angry at the idea that MPs representing Scottish seats should have any say in the formation of a government which will, for most of its term, have no control over Scotland whatsoever."

"It is becoming clear that this, along with the question of Scottish peers in the House of Lords, should have been considered and resolved by both the Scottish and UK governments long before we reached this stage."

☝Twitter - occasional outbursts on above topicsFacebook - evil I know, and I will leave eventually - friends and family